Western Railroad Discussion > NS Kansas City District Questions

What are some tips for fanning the NS Kansas City District between Moberly, MO and Carrollton? 
 
Some previous posts put traffic at around 25 trains per day – is this still accurate?  Is any particular time of the day typically busier than others?
 
Also, has NS started any new signal work lately to replace the handful of searchlights left on that line?
 
Thank you in advance,
Dave Malohn
 

DPM Wrote:
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> What are some tips for fanning the NS Kansas City
> District between Moberly, MO and Carrollton? 

There a lots of good locations between Moberly and Carrollton. Clifton Hill, Salisbury, Brunswick and Wakenda all offer good views for videography and photography, and all but Brusnwick still have searchlights. If you have a scanner, the NS uses AAR channel 22, 160.440. The BNSF Marceline DS will normally hold WB NS trains at WB Jct. Listen to AAR channel 30, 160.560 for the BNSF frequency. If you're not constrained for time and don't have limited travel resources, I would suggest you go a little West of Carrollton, towards Norborne and Hardin/Henrietta. There are numerous grade crossings that allow you to park in between the BNSF and NS mains (since they're separated by about 50 yards). You won't miss any NS trains, and if the NS isn't busy, the BNSF is usually fairly busy throughout the day, if you can stand a constant parade of orange GEs... ;D

If you go as far as Hardin or Henrietta, the Marceline becomes a 3-track railroad to as far as CA Jct, with the NS main splitting off at Hardin to become Main Track 3. CA Jct (Camden) and Hardin are typical holding points for EB NS trains waiting to get onto the Marceline. 

If you're going to make a day of the railfanning, Sherri's in Brunswick and the Dairy Maid Burger Bar in Carrollton are both excellent places to eat.There are also a number of gas stations & convencience stores along US 24 and MO HWY 10.

> Some previous posts put traffic at around 25
> trains per day – is this still accurate?  Is
> any particular time of the day typically busier
> than others?

In my experience, early to mid morning is usually fairly busy, and then there's (normally) a lull in traffic until mid-late afternoon. 

Trains 285, 29M, 27M, and 398 *normally* run East out of Kansas City early in the morning. 
Trains 224, 21T, 33J, 315 and 112 are also normally early morning runs West out of Moberly.

In the afternoons, 120, 122 and 272 will run East from Kansas City. 
Trains 239 & 297 are usually early/late afternoon Westbound out of Moberly.

Trains 111, 20T, 256 and 223 all depart Kansas City Eastbound under darkness. 

Train 255 is also normally an overnight run West from Moberly.

There are also extras such as I24, I39, M22, I1T, etc that I've seen at all times during the day. 

Local train D19 will sometimes run West towards Hardin as well, but, I'm not sure on the frequency of that move.

> Also, has NS started any new signal work lately to
> replace the handful of searchlights left on that
> line?

All of the searchlights West of Wakenda have been replaced, but, as of 2 weeks ago, there were still numerous searchlights East of Wakenda towards Moberly.  

I've attached three photos of my personal favorite locations along the NS in that area.

Hope this helps, and best of luck to you!

-Dalton 

1. NS train 297 WB at Clifton Hill, MO - 08/03-15
2. NS train 112 WB at Wakenda, MO - 03/05/16
3. NS train 239 WB at Carrollton, MO (From US 65 overpass) - 07/17/16



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/16 11:31 by CP_M260.

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Everything Dalton said and........The grain elevators at Hardin and Brunswick have loop tracks.  I have seen KCS grain trains in Hardin and recently a BNSF powered grain train in Brunswick with new BNSF hoppers.

KCCharlie

To echo everything else said you can't go wrong with a day of rail fanning along the joint trackage. Dalton gave you the lay of the land.

Posted from Android

Dalton covered our operations pretty well. Right now the auto traffic is very heavy and some days both an I39 and an I97 can be seen west of Moberly. There are also extra empty multilevel trains operating east out of Kansas City.

In the coming weeks a work train will be distributing ties between DeWitt and Carrollton during the day, and we have several grain trains planned for Brunswick and Hardin. Most are going to be NS trainsets and power, but BNSF and KCS haulage trains will likely be mixed in.

At the moment, the following control points on the Kansas City District still have searchlight signals:
Carter(no access by car)
Wakenda
DeWitt
Mettler - pictured with NS 3620
Bentley - pictured with NS 5097
Salsibury - pictured with NS 2512
Clifton Hill
Huntsville

Right now no work is being done to replace any of these signals.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Anthony Randall
 

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I know empty autorack trains go to whatever assembly plant needs them at the time.  However, is there a destination most commonly associated with both 27M and 29M?

Andrew

Thank you very much for the detailed responses!  I really appreciate all of the helpful information. 

I'm curious - do they use the sidings at Salisbury/Bentley, Mettler/DeWitt, and Wakenda/Carter often, or do they tend to meet trains on the two main track section between Sido and Brunswick?  I'm trying to gauge my chances of catching a lunar-over-green Diverging Clear on one of the Wabash dwarf signals at Salisbury, Bentley, or DeWitt.  I believe there are only eight of these left on the system (soon to be six due to replacement projects).

Thanks again,
Dave
 

florida581 Wrote:
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> I know empty autorack trains go to whatever
> assembly plant needs them at the time.  However,
> is there a destination most commonly associated
> with both 27M and 29M?
>
> Andrew
Unless they have changed
27M is Kansas City-St.Louis
29M is Kansas City-Toledo